Last weekend, college football provided a rare unifying moment as the Ohio State Buckeyes faced the Texas Longhorns. Texas mounted a thrilling comeback led by Arch Manning. However, the celebration was marred by Bo French, the Republican nominee for Texas railroad commissioner.

French sparked outrage by posting a photo of South Asian Texas fans, calling the scene a problem. His comments echo a pattern of bigotry within the modern right. As reported by Texas Monthly, French has previously called for rounding up Muslims and Chinese Americans.

He has also praised Rhodesia and claimed Muslims cannot assimilate. These remarks follow other Republican figures making similar anti-Muslim statements. The incident highlights the tension between sports unity and political division.

It serves as a reminder that the fervor of college fandom can quickly expose underlying societal fractures when political figures exploit racial differences.